US4556531A - Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor - Google Patents

Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
US4556531A
US4556531A US06/486,525 US48652583A US4556531A US 4556531 A US4556531 A US 4556531A US 48652583 A US48652583 A US 48652583A US 4556531 A US4556531 A US 4556531A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
ferrules
spring members
adjacent
pair
spring
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US06/486,525
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Michael V. Curulla
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A NY CORP. reassignment GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A NY CORP. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: CURULLA, MICHAEL V.
Priority to US06/486,525 priority Critical patent/US4556531A/en
Priority to SE8401545A priority patent/SE454547B/sv
Priority to KR1019840001476A priority patent/KR890002905B1/ko
Priority to IT20324/84A priority patent/IT1175460B/it
Priority to JP59066013A priority patent/JPS59220675A/ja
Priority to ES1984296422U priority patent/ES296422Y/es
Priority to DE19843413981 priority patent/DE3413981A1/de
Publication of US4556531A publication Critical patent/US4556531A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/30—Assemblies of a number of fuel elements in the form of a rigid unit
    • G21C3/32—Bundles of parallel pin-, rod-, or tube-shaped fuel elements
    • G21C3/34—Spacer grids
    • G21C3/344—Spacer grids formed of assembled tubular elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/30—Assemblies of a number of fuel elements in the form of a rigid unit
    • G21C3/32—Bundles of parallel pin-, rod-, or tube-shaped fuel elements
    • G21C3/34—Spacer grids
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • An object of this invention is a spacer spring component which provides freedom in selection of spring characteristics (for example, length and width) of the spring members.
  • FIG. 3C is a longitudinal section view of the ferrule of FIG. 3A.
  • a spring component 13 which has a generally S-shape in plan view as shown in FIG. 1.
  • Each of the spring members 14(1)/14(2) includes a short straight side 17 connected at its top end to an arched side 18, the connecting strap 16 being attached to the inner, lower edges of the straight sides 17 at similar opposite angles.
  • Each arched side 18 is formed with an inwardly arched bend 19 at its upper end and with a substantially central apex portion having an outwardly arched bend 21.
  • the bend 21 contacts the fuel rod or other element 22 (shown in dashed lines) extending through the ferrule 11 and resiliently urges it into contact with spaced rigid stops 23 whereby the element 22 is laterally supported.
  • four such rigid stops 23 are used including an upper pair of spaced stops and a similar lower pair of spaced stops--see FIGS.
  • the stops 23 advantageously may be formed integrally with the ferrule 11 by first punching out a pair of lateral slits 24 (FIG. 3C) defining the location and height of each stop 23 and then deforming the material between the slits 24 in the arched form of the stop 23.
  • recesses 26 illustrated in the plan, elevation and logitudinal cross section views of one of the ferrules 11 illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C.
  • the recess 26 is formed by deforming inwardly a portion of the wall of the ferrule 11 at the appropriate location and of appropriate size to receive the retaining strap 16.
  • the recesses 26 may be formed by cut outs, however, the deformed wall portion form is preferred because its smoother edges cause less disturbance of coolant flow through the ferrule and ferrule strength is maintained.
  • the two ferrules 11 are positioned close together but with space therebetween to pass the retaining strap 16.
  • the hairpin-like spring members 14(1)/14(2) are slipped over the ends of the ferrules 11 (the arched side 18 projecting into the ferrule and the straight side 17 along the outside of the ferrule) and the component 13 is pushed down until the retaining strap 16 is in alignment with the recesses 26.
  • the ferrules 11 are then brought into abutting relation and welded together by welds 12 at each end.
  • the ferrules 11 are about 1.2 inches (3 cm) high, about 0.64 inches (16.2 mm) in outside diameter with a wall thickness of about 0.02 inches (0.5 mm).
  • the ferrules 11 are preferably formed of a material of low neutron absorption cross section such as a zirconium alloy, for example, Zircaloy-4.
  • the spring component 13 is formed of a material having suitable strength, corrosion resistance and resilience characteristics such as a nickel alloy, for example, Inconel.
  • the spring component is about 1.0 inches (2.5 mm) in overall height and about 0.45 inches (11.5 mm) in overall (formed) width, the spring members 14(1)/14(2) being about 0.12 inches (3 mm) in width.
  • the retaining strap 16 is about 0.3 inches (7.7 mm) in height.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Springs (AREA)
  • Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)
  • Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)
US06/486,525 1983-04-19 1983-04-19 Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor Expired - Fee Related US4556531A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/486,525 US4556531A (en) 1983-04-19 1983-04-19 Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor
SE8401545A SE454547B (sv) 1983-04-19 1984-03-20 Brenslepatron for en kernreaktor
KR1019840001476A KR890002905B1 (ko) 1983-04-19 1984-03-22 연료 집합체용 스페이서
IT20324/84A IT1175460B (it) 1983-04-19 1984-03-30 Distanziatore di complesso di combustibile nucleare e suo componente elastico
JP59066013A JPS59220675A (ja) 1983-04-19 1984-04-04 核燃料集合体スペーサ用ばね部品
ES1984296422U ES296422Y (es) 1983-04-19 1984-04-04 Componente elastico para un separador de un conjunto de combustible para un reactor nuclear.
DE19843413981 DE3413981A1 (de) 1983-04-19 1984-04-13 Abstandshalter fuer ein brennelement fuer kernreaktoren und federkomponente fuer den abstandshalter

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/486,525 US4556531A (en) 1983-04-19 1983-04-19 Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4556531A true US4556531A (en) 1985-12-03

Family

ID=23932226

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/486,525 Expired - Fee Related US4556531A (en) 1983-04-19 1983-04-19 Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring component therefor

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US4556531A (sv)
JP (1) JPS59220675A (sv)
KR (1) KR890002905B1 (sv)
DE (1) DE3413981A1 (sv)
ES (1) ES296422Y (sv)
IT (1) IT1175460B (sv)
SE (1) SE454547B (sv)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5035853A (en) * 1988-02-22 1991-07-30 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor fuel assembly
US5313506A (en) * 1992-03-25 1994-05-17 General Electric Company Reduced pressure drop ferrule spacer
US5361288A (en) * 1993-08-16 1994-11-01 General Electric Company Spacer with integral zircaloy springs
US5488644A (en) * 1994-07-13 1996-01-30 General Electric Company Spring assemblies for adjoining nuclear fuel rod containing ferrules and a spacer formed of the spring assemblies and ferrules
US5519747A (en) * 1994-10-04 1996-05-21 General Electric Company Apparatus and methods for fabricating spacers for a nuclear fuel rod bundle
US5546437A (en) * 1995-01-11 1996-08-13 General Electric Company Spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US5566217A (en) * 1995-01-30 1996-10-15 General Electric Company Reduced height spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US5675621A (en) * 1995-08-17 1997-10-07 General Electric Company Reduced height flat spring spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US20220392652A1 (en) * 2019-11-13 2022-12-08 Westinghouse Electric Sweden Ab Tube Grid Cell

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0820533B2 (ja) * 1986-05-29 1996-03-04 株式会社東芝 燃料棒スペ−サ
JPH0769449B2 (ja) * 1987-09-28 1995-07-31 株式会社日立製作所 独立セル型燃料スペーサおよびその製造方法
US5069864A (en) * 1990-04-16 1991-12-03 General Electric Company Nuclear fuel assembly spacer and spring
US5078961A (en) * 1990-12-06 1992-01-07 General Electric Company Self locating springs for ferrule spacer
US5173252A (en) * 1991-05-17 1992-12-22 General Electric Company Removable springs for ferrule spacer

Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1037729A (en) * 1911-08-26 1912-09-03 Robert J Collins Spring.
US2600520A (en) * 1948-10-16 1952-06-17 Lipe Rollway Corp Friction disk separator for double disk clutches
US3298922A (en) * 1963-02-22 1967-01-17 Soc Anglo Belge Vulcain Sa Nuclear fuel assembly
US3301765A (en) * 1963-12-16 1967-01-31 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Nuclear reactor fuel element assemblies
US3380890A (en) * 1964-06-03 1968-04-30 Asea Ab Spacer for fuel assemblies
US3398053A (en) * 1965-09-03 1968-08-20 Siemens Ag Spacer for box-shaped nuclear fuel element
US3510397A (en) * 1966-08-15 1970-05-05 Atomenergi Ab Spacer for the fuel rods of the fuel element of a nuclear reactor
US3654077A (en) * 1967-06-26 1972-04-04 Gen Electric Nuclear reactor fuel element spacer
US3769159A (en) * 1968-06-24 1973-10-30 Combustion Eng Fuel element grid support for nuclear reactor
US3772148A (en) * 1969-09-03 1973-11-13 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Nuclear reactor fuel element spacer grid
US3886038A (en) * 1972-01-13 1975-05-27 British Nuclear Fuels Ltd Nuclear reactor fuel element assemblies
US4172761A (en) * 1977-01-12 1979-10-30 British Nuclear Fuels Limited Cellular grids with twin ferrules
US4252302A (en) * 1979-05-18 1981-02-24 Musgrave Daniel D Adjustable-thrust spring assembly
US4291480A (en) * 1979-01-15 1981-09-29 Musgrave Daniel D Interacting leaf springs
US4312705A (en) * 1979-02-14 1982-01-26 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Spacer for nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1589461A1 (de) * 1967-08-03 1970-03-26 Agfa Gevaert Ag Elektromagnet mit einem in diskrete Stellungen ueberfuehrbaren Anker
US4508679A (en) * 1982-08-20 1985-04-02 General Electric Company Nuclear fuel assembly spacer

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1037729A (en) * 1911-08-26 1912-09-03 Robert J Collins Spring.
US2600520A (en) * 1948-10-16 1952-06-17 Lipe Rollway Corp Friction disk separator for double disk clutches
US3298922A (en) * 1963-02-22 1967-01-17 Soc Anglo Belge Vulcain Sa Nuclear fuel assembly
US3301765A (en) * 1963-12-16 1967-01-31 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Nuclear reactor fuel element assemblies
US3380890A (en) * 1964-06-03 1968-04-30 Asea Ab Spacer for fuel assemblies
US3398053A (en) * 1965-09-03 1968-08-20 Siemens Ag Spacer for box-shaped nuclear fuel element
US3510397A (en) * 1966-08-15 1970-05-05 Atomenergi Ab Spacer for the fuel rods of the fuel element of a nuclear reactor
US3654077A (en) * 1967-06-26 1972-04-04 Gen Electric Nuclear reactor fuel element spacer
US3769159A (en) * 1968-06-24 1973-10-30 Combustion Eng Fuel element grid support for nuclear reactor
US3772148A (en) * 1969-09-03 1973-11-13 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Nuclear reactor fuel element spacer grid
US3886038A (en) * 1972-01-13 1975-05-27 British Nuclear Fuels Ltd Nuclear reactor fuel element assemblies
US4172761A (en) * 1977-01-12 1979-10-30 British Nuclear Fuels Limited Cellular grids with twin ferrules
US4291480A (en) * 1979-01-15 1981-09-29 Musgrave Daniel D Interacting leaf springs
US4312705A (en) * 1979-02-14 1982-01-26 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Spacer for nuclear reactor fuel assemblies
US4252302A (en) * 1979-05-18 1981-02-24 Musgrave Daniel D Adjustable-thrust spring assembly

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5035853A (en) * 1988-02-22 1991-07-30 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor fuel assembly
US5313506A (en) * 1992-03-25 1994-05-17 General Electric Company Reduced pressure drop ferrule spacer
US5361288A (en) * 1993-08-16 1994-11-01 General Electric Company Spacer with integral zircaloy springs
US5488644A (en) * 1994-07-13 1996-01-30 General Electric Company Spring assemblies for adjoining nuclear fuel rod containing ferrules and a spacer formed of the spring assemblies and ferrules
US5519747A (en) * 1994-10-04 1996-05-21 General Electric Company Apparatus and methods for fabricating spacers for a nuclear fuel rod bundle
US5546437A (en) * 1995-01-11 1996-08-13 General Electric Company Spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US5566217A (en) * 1995-01-30 1996-10-15 General Electric Company Reduced height spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US5675621A (en) * 1995-08-17 1997-10-07 General Electric Company Reduced height flat spring spacer for nuclear fuel rods
US20220392652A1 (en) * 2019-11-13 2022-12-08 Westinghouse Electric Sweden Ab Tube Grid Cell

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE8401545D0 (sv) 1984-03-20
ES296422Y (es) 1988-04-16
IT8420324A0 (it) 1984-03-30
KR840008507A (ko) 1984-12-15
DE3413981A1 (de) 1984-10-25
KR890002905B1 (ko) 1989-08-08
IT1175460B (it) 1987-07-01
SE8401545L (sv) 1984-10-20
ES296422U (es) 1987-09-01
SE454547B (sv) 1988-05-09
JPS59220675A (ja) 1984-12-12
JPH0257280B2 (sv) 1990-12-04
DE3413981C2 (sv) 1987-06-11

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Legal Events

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AS Assignment

Owner name: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A NY CORP.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:CURULLA, MICHAEL V.;REEL/FRAME:004119/0663

Effective date: 19830329

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Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

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Year of fee payment: 4

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Free format text: PAYER NUMBER DE-ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: RMPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

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Year of fee payment: 8

REMI Maintenance fee reminder mailed
LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 19971203

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362